Ombra Musici II: Classical Music Performance and Public Space

Ombra Musici II presents a video projection of a violinist performing solo classical works on a screen installed on a rooftop terrace adjacent a major street and public plaza in Portland, Oregon during the Portland Winter Light Festival 2023. An accompanying research project asked: How do outdoor digital installations of classical music performance impact people's feelings about classical music performance? How do outdoor digital installations of classical music performance impact people's feelings about the urban environment after dark? Employing contextual observation and semi-structured interviews with a total of 117 attendees, and building on and evaluating theories of observing media audiences in urban contexts, placemaking (digital, creative, and mobile), and expanded cinema (namely montage and dispositif), the research found that group size and dynamics had a strong effect on the length of engagement with the work, that most participants used their digital devices to capture and share the experience outside of the site, that sound was crucial in creating a communal and comfortable space, as well as expanding the footprint of the performance, and that classical music in particular helped to challenge the narrative expectations of this particular public space, deepening people's connection to one another in the space. The findings may be useful for shaping both the design of digital and creative placemaking initiatives, as well as further experimentation with the presentation of classical music performance in public space.